Obama makes light of partisan tensions while raising campaign cash for Boxer

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President Obama came to California on Tuesday to raise money for Sen. Barbara Boxer. Speaking at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, Obama said, ‘We just flew in today from Washington, and I have to say that we’ve got a lot on our plate right now, so I don’t travel for just anybody. But when it comes to Barbara Boxer, I’m a lot like many of you, which is if she calls and she says, ‘I need some help,’ then we’re going to give her some help, because she has helped millions of Californians and millions of Americans all across the country.’ Obama used his speech to tout his administration’s first 18 months in office, and made light of a contentious meeting Tuesday with Senate Republicans.

‘I actually visited the Republican caucus today, and it was a very warm and cuddly meeting,’ Obama quipped. (After the meeting Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) told Politico that Obama “needs to take a Valium before he comes in and talks to Republicans, and just calm down and don’t take anything so seriously. If you disagree with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re attacking their motives — and he takes it that way and tends then to lecture and then gets upset.�)

This was Obama’s second visit to California to raise money for Boxer in the last five weeks. On Wednesday, Obama will tour a solar panel manufacturing plant in Fremont.

-- Anthony York in Sacramento